Letters to the Editor - Feb. 12, 2013

Tuesday

Feb 12, 2013 at 3:15 AM

To the editor: Ms. Russell in her commentary I believe missed the point with her scholarly comments on the controversy over the 2012 budget.

We of simpler educational and non-bureaucratic backgrounds are dumbfounded by the omission of $700,000 in the presentation to the City Council of the School Boards’ funding request which would in effect require an override of the spending cap. This omission caused a huge and completely unnecessary response from many who considered those against an override to be anti-education, anti-children and anti-American.

We can do better.

Eileen Williams

Dover

To the editor: On Saturday morning my husband and I got up to tackle the driveway so we to get out to go to the ice fishing derby. We were shocked to see the mess we had. The bottom of our driveway was at least 3 feet high and I went on Craig’s List to try to get someone to come plow with no success.

I saw a truck at the end of my road plowing a driveway and when he came past I asked him if he could help us out and he agreed. When I ask how much he said free.

I wasn’t going to not offer this nice gentleman something and when I went in the house to get some money the man just drove away.

Wow is it nice to see people like this, I go out of my way to help everyone I cannot asking for anything in return and days like this make it all worth while. I hope that man reads this letter and knows what he did means the world to me and my family. Thank you so much for your kindness.

Carol Mackell

Somersworth

To the editor: I’m proud of how easy it is for Granite Staters to be involved in our state and local government. Many of us know our state representatives, have met our congressmen or women, and proudly vote in our first-in-the-nation primary every four years.

Yet this culture of civic pride is being threatened by a lawsuit that attempts to uphold an unfair voter registration law.

Last year the Legislature passed SB 318, a bill that added language to voter registration forms that was incorrect and designed to discourage people from registering. The language, which falsely implied that a person must obtain a New Hampshire driver’s license and register a car here in order to vote, was removed after a Strafford County judge ruled that it was unconstitutional.

If the legislature does not pass legislation to permanently remove the language, our taxpayer dollars will be wasted defending the bill in the state Supreme Court. The legislature should immediately repeal SB 318 so we can encourage citizens to participate in democracy instead of misleading and confusing them.

Kevin Cash

Rochester

To the editor: Welcome to 2013. It all started with class warfare against the millionaires and billionaires. Suddenly, the new tax rates include the upper middle class. But wait, Obama is already talking about new taxes on the rich. There apparently is no end to paying a fair share.

The latest Obamaism is “balance”. We will have to wait and see how that plays out. Please note new taxes on real estate transactions and investment income under ObamaCare. What other nuggets are hidden in this 2700 page tomb, which has already generated 13,000 new regulations? You have to read the fine print; something our reps in Washington seem incapable of doing.

Speaking of Washington, all these projections “over ten years” are misleading at best. Who knows what is down the road. A Congress can’t bind its successors. Ten year projections when applied to one year are not such a big deal. For instance, 500 billion over ten years is 50 billion in one year. Against a $1.4 trillion deficit that is peanuts. Then we have back-loading which pushes the bulk of the benefits to the back of the term. For instance, the trillion dollar reduction Obama likes to talk about only provides about a 5% savings the first year.

Remember Obama promised transparency and accountability? What do we have instead? Obfuscation. The best example may be we have had no federal budget for three years. This is deliberate obfuscation.

Despite his oath to uphold and defend the constitution, this president shows little respect for it. Perhaps the best example of this is his declaring “if Congress won’t do it, I will”, thereby circumventing the authority of Congress.

We are witness to a carefully staged crisis. First the Newtown incident leading to Joe Biden’s gun control panel with its recommendations to the president. But voila, the next day in campaign mode, the president discloses 23 new executive orders and several initiatives for Congressional action. This is no coincidence. The scenario is intended to ride an emotional wave seeking gun control. Will all this make us safer? No. Will all this prevent serial killings No. A system for universal background checks may seem like a good idea, however, such a database could, in the future, raise serious privacy concerns for gun owners. Thanks to our forefathers and the Supreme Court the Second amendment is safe ... for now.

The president has shown little respect for the separation of powers in the Constitution. Remember that his focus continues to be to centralize power in Washington.

Sooner or later the American voters, including rank and file democrats, have to decide whether the policies of this president affect their well being and expectations for themselves and their children.

Unless there is a sea change we are all in for a rocky ride. In the meantime, watch out for more White House surprises.

Fred W. Hall, Jr.

Rochester

To the editor: Like many people of my age group, my siblings and I have been faced with the declining health of our mother. Although there are three of us, no one lives in the immediate area. Our mother, once a vibrant woman, could no longer keep her pills straight, safely drive her car or do many of the things that she once did without thinking twice. A very proud New Englander, it would be difficult for her to accept any help.

We were extremely fortunate to find Compassionate Companions, a small company owned by Bernadette Boy Paradis. Bernadette, a local Durham girl, left the corporate world to start a company where she saw a need. She was able to visit my mother in a non-threatening manner and started “small”. She might pop in to prompt my mother about her medication, run an errand with her, take her to an appointment, or just sit and visit. Gradually, Bernadette and two of her assistants, Michele and Heather, worked their way into mom’s heart.

As time went on, my mother required more services — and, thankfully, Compassionate Companions was able to provide those services. By the time my mother passed away, either Bernadette, Michele or Heather was with mom, 24 hours a day. They became part of our family and made my mother’s life so very pleasant, right up to the end.

Reflecting on my mom’s last four or so years, we feel nothing but happiness and gratitude for the fact that she was able to remain in her home and receive excellent and loving care. She was extremely happy and comfortable, and felt truly cared for. My mother had been in nursing homes, briefly, several times when she had infections, and was miserable each time. The only thing that made the nursing home bearable was the fact that Compassionate Companions spent all day with her and stayed until she went to sleep at night. No matter how nice a nursing home is, your parent is but one of many patients. Without her own caretaker, mom would not have had her needs met. We saw that if we had to put her in a home permanently, she would have been desperately unhappy and would not have lasted long. Her quality of life would have suffered immensely.

As you make plans for your aging parents, it is good to know there are options other than nursing homes and long term care facilities. Please think of Bernadette Boy Paradis and Compassionate Companions, or other services such as hers. I can’t speak highly enough of Compassionate Companions — who truly lived up to their name! Even if you live in the area, they can help you with a myriad of things to make your life and your parent’s life easier.